that could signify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that could signify" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing potential meanings or implications of something in a context where interpretation is needed. Example: "The sudden drop in temperature that could signify an approaching storm caught everyone off guard."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

He delivers these statements slowly, after long pauses that could signify thoughtfulness, or boredom, or both.

The Guardian - Arts

What about a religious requirement for segregation of the races, or for distinctive dress or hairstyles that could signify gang membership, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wanted to know.

The New York Times

In a move that could signify a thaw in their relationship, Steinbrenner approached Torre on Wednesday about whether he wanted to keep managing beyond this season.

The New York Times - Sports

I'm sure I missed some other questionable phrasings, but certainly not enough that could signify a pattern of behavior or betray a partisan agenda.

The New York Times

They don't feel subtracted or elided from the filming but merely suppressed: a gesture that could signify modesty and respect, an ostensibly selfless devotion to the movie's participants and subjects, comes off as quietly evasive.

The New Yorker

The company closed down most activities at its subsidiary, Calcestruzzi, on Sicily after an internal investigation and an inquiry by magistrates uncovered irregularities that could signify payments to organized crime, a spokesman for Italcementi said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

**With all of this potential sound and fury, it's important to note that it could signify nothing (I hate writing that sentence as much as you hate reading it).

TechCrunch

Educated in oriental scroll painting and influenced by the work of Wassily Kandinsky, she understood that emptiness could signify fullness, and she applied that principle in panoramic landscape paintings, as well as in lone objects placed in pictorial space (3 ).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

The resistance goes out to face them immediately, just like a swarm of bees". U.S. military officials say insurgent attacks in the Baghdad area have declined slightly in the past week, a pattern that could simply signify a calm before a surge in violence expected around the national elections scheduled for Jan . 30

The Washington Post

He holds that spoken and written utterances sometimes he uses the term 'utterance [vox]' where Ockham has 'term [terminus]' signify concepts primarily: "the capability of speaking was given to us in order that we could signify our concepts to others and also the capacity of hearing was given to us in order that the concepts of speakers could be signified to us" (S 4.1.2: 222).

SEP

Mr. Zenón laughed at the notion that it could signify the trinity.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place the phrase immediately after the noun or phenomenon it is interpreting to maintain clarity and sentence flow

Common error

Avoid combining the phrase with other words of uncertainty like 'perhaps' or 'maybe' in the same clause (e.g. 'perhaps that could signify'). This creates a 'double hedge' that weakens the authorial voice too much

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that could signify" functions as a relative clause introduced by the relative pronoun "that". It serves to modify a preceding noun phrase by providing a tentative interpretation or meaning. As noted in Ludwig, the modal verb "could" is essential here to express epistemic possibility, allowing the writer to hypothesize without stating a definitive fact.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "that could signify" is a robust and grammatically sound phrase used to navigate the space between observation and conclusion. Data from Ludwig AI indicates it is especially prevalent in scientific and journalistic writing, where accuracy and the avoidance of overstatement are paramount. By using the modal verb "could", writers can safely suggest implications—whether they are biological markers in a cell, patterns in space, or shifts in a political relationship—without committing to a definitive cause. It remains one of the most effective ways to introduce evidence-based speculation in professional English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that may indicate

More common in scientific contexts to denote a possible correlation

that could mean

A more direct and slightly less formal alternative

that might suggest

Softer and more cautious in its interpretive claim

which could denote

Swaps the relative pronoun and uses a more specific verb for definitions

that potentially represents

Emphasizes the symbolic or representative nature of the observation

that could symbolize

Specifically used when discussing abstract concepts or art

that might point to

Metaphorical and commonly used in investigative or diagnostic writing

signifying

A participial phrase that condenses the relative clause

which might imply

Focuses on the logical inference rather than a direct sign

that could portend

A formal and literary version specifically for future omens or warnings

FAQs

How to use "that could signify" in a sentence?

You can use it to introduce a possible explanation for a symptom or event, such as "The patient displayed a sudden rash "that could signify" an allergic reaction."

What can I say instead of "that could signify"?

Depending on your context, you can use "that may indicate", "that might suggest", or "that could mean".

Is "that could signify" formal enough for a research paper?

Yes, it is highly appropriate for research papers. In fact, many examples found in Ludwig come from scientific journals like "PLOS ONE" and "Nature".

What is the difference between "that could signify" and "that could signal"?

While similar, "signify" often refers to a deeper meaning or essence, whereas "that could signal" usually refers to an immediate trigger or a warning for an upcoming event.